Safety carton with cut out lock

ABSTRACT

The carton comprises a rectangular inner slide or base member of the utmost simplicity, which is adapted to slide within a sleeve member of somewhat greater length. The sleeve member has a double-bottom comprising an inner panel having an opening therein approximating the size and shape of the horizontal contour of the base member. The added length of the inner panel provides a strap-like abutment at each end of the carton between which the base member may be normally retained. The outer panel of the double bottom of the sleeve member is provided with an opening smaller than the area of the base member but large enough to admit the finger to press the base member upwardly sufficiently to ride over the abutment at either end of the carton.

United States Patent [191 Rosenburg, Jr.

[451: Sept. 25, 1973 [52] US. Cl 229/19, 206/DIG1 11, 206/DIG. 32, 206/15, 206/31 A, 229/9, 229/11, 229/20 [51] Int. Cl 865d 5/38 [58] Field of Search 229/19, 20,9, 10, 229/11, 39 B;206/1.5, 1.0 R, 31 A, DIG. 11,

DIG. 26, DIG. 32, 39, 40.5, 42; 220/8, 41

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,180,697 4/1965 Mulch 206/1 R X 1,916,119 6/1933 Schwartz et a1.

228,158 5/1880 Woods 2,481,302 9/1949 Fogel 792,104 6/1905 Woerner 206/42 Primary Examiner--Herbert F. Ross Assistant Examiner-Stephen P. Garbe AttorneyWatson, Cole, Grindle & Watson 5 7 ABSTRACT The carton comprises a rectangular inner slide or base member of the utmost simplicity, which is adapted to slide within a sleeve member of somewhat greater length. The sleeve member has a double-bottom comprising an inner panel having an opening therein approximating the size and shape of the horizontal contour of the base member. The added length of the inner panel provides a strap-like abutment at each end of the carton between which the base member may be normally retained. The outer panel of the double bottom of the sleeve member is provided with an opening smaller than the area of the base member but large enough to admit the finger to press the base member upwardly sufi'iciently to ride over the abutment at either end of the carton.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures SAFETY CARTON WITH CUT OUT LOCK This invention relates to pilfer-proof or tamper-proof cartons and has for its general object the provision of such a carton which is of simple and relatively inexpensive construction but which interposes such an obstacle to opening it which will deter or prevent access by infants or small children.

Some previous attempts to provide pill boxes or the like which would prove inaccessible to small children have been made but many of them have been of somewhat complicated design, which has increased the expense of production without corresponding improvement in safety or inaccessibility.

The present invention, in its preferred embodiments, contemplates the provision of a simple rectangular base or container tray member of the simplest possible construction without alterations of any kind whether to provide protruding interlocking elements or otherwise.

The sleeve within which the base member slides embodies in its simple one-piece construction, a double bottom, the inner panel of which is somewhat longer than the base member on which is provided with an opening approximately the area of the base member. The extra length of the inner panel providing two transverse straps providing abutments between which the base member is normally retained. A smalleropening in the outer panel of the double bottom of the sleeve member provides means for the insertion of a finger to lift the base or container proper the slight distance necessary for it to surmount the abutment at one end of the carton and be removed therefrom by a person of sufficient maturity to handle the contents properly.

In the drawings:

FIG. I is a plan view of a blank from which the outer sleeve member of the carton is formed;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of the erected sleeve;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the assembled carton in closed condition;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the closed carton assembly taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a similar view showing the parts in partially opened positions under the influence of the hand of the user.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention utilizes a simple form of base or container member shown at in FIGS. 3, i, and S of the drawings. While this base member may be elaborated or embellished in various ways, in its simplest construction, it will comprise a bottom wall or panel 12, side walls 13 and M, and end walls 15 and 16.

The enveloping sleeve member within which the base member 10 slides is indicated by the general reference number 20.

The best approach to describing the sleeve is by way of the blank 20 from which it is formed. This blank 20 is illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings and comprises the following panels and flaps named in sequence from left to right:- outer terminal side wall panel 21, bottom wall panel 22; outer side wall panel 23; top wall panel 24, inner side wall panel 25; inner bottom wall panel 26, and terminal inner side wall panel 27.

It will be noted that the outer bottom wall panel 22 is provided with a central longitudinal opening 30, and that the inner bottom wall panel 26 is cut away substantially throughout its entire width as at 31! leaving only the straps or abutment pieces 32 and 33. The inner surfaces of side wall panels 25 and 27 are coated with adhesive to secure the sleeve in erected position.

After rolling up and securing the blank the sleeve 20 takes the form shown in FIGS. 2-5, with double side walls comprising inner and outer panels 27 and 23 and inner and outer panels 25 and 21; a double bottom wall comprising outer panel 22 and inner panel 26. The openings 30 and 31 partially coincide leaving a large portion of the bottom wall panel 12 of the base member 10 exposed.

When the slide or base member 16 is inserted in the sleeve 20, the members occupy the positions shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, where the base member 10 is snugly held within the opening 31 in the panel 26, the straps 32 and 33 providing abutments preventing easy removal of the container member M). The narrower opening 30 in the outer panel 22 prevents passage of the member 10 through that panel but provides means for the entry of the operators finger to dispose the member 10 in position for release.

FIG. 5 clearly illustrates the method of removal of the container tray or member 10 by an adult and shows how difficult it would be for an infant or very small child to accomplish. With the forefinger of one hand pressing downwardly upon the strap or abutment 32 as indicated by the arrow b and the thumb pressing upwardly in the direction of arrow 0, before the underside of the tray or base member 10, through the opening 30 in the panel 22, the container or base member 10 may clear the abutment strap 32 and be removed from the sleeve 20 by pressure of the finger upon the member 20 as indicated by the arrow 0.

I claim:

1. A carton presenting some difficulty of access by immature or incompetent persons, said carton comprising a base member serving as the container proper and a sleeve member enveloping said base member and in which the latter is adapted to slide, the sleeve member having a bottom wall'comprising a lamination of two panels, the inner panel provided with a slight inner upward protuberance at each end between which said base member is retained when the carton is closed, and openings in said panels in partial registry with each other whereby a portion of the bottom of said base member is exposed and may be contacted by the finger through the registering portions of said openings and pressed upwardly to elevate at least one end thereof above the adjacent one of said slight protuberances to free said end for sliding removal of said base member from the sleeve member.

2. The carton as set forth in claim I in which, said sleeve member is longer than said base member, the opening in the inner panel of the bottom wall being of the same area as that of the base member, whereby when the carton is closed, the base member seats within said opening and the narrow solid portions of the inner panel at the opposite ends of said inner panel opening constitute said slight protuberances, the opening in the outer one of said bottom panels being smaller than the first opening, whereby only a portion of the base member is exposed thereby for pressure by the finger to release it.

3. The carton as set forth in claim 2 in which the material of said sleeve is suffiently flexible for enabling the protuberance-carrying end portions of the double bottom wall of the sleeve member to be depressed slightly to assist in freeing the base member when the latter is pressed upwardly. 

1. A carton presenting some difficulty of access by immature or incompetent persons, said carton comprising a base member serving as the container proper and a sleeve member enveloping said base member and in which the latter is adapted to slide, the sleeve member having a bottom wall comprising a lamination of two panels, the inner panel provided with a slight inner upward protuberance at each end between which said base member is retained when the carton is closed, and openings in said panels in partial registry with each other whereby a portion of the bottom of said base member is exposed and may be contacted by the finger through the registering portions of said openings and pressed upwardly to elevate at least one end thereof above the adjacent one of said slight protuberances to free said end for sliding removal of said base member from the sleeve member.
 2. The carton as set forth in claim 1 in which, said sleeve member is longer than said base member, the opening in the inner panel of the bottom wall being of the same area as that of the base member, whereby when the carton is closed, the base member seats within said opening and the narrow solid portions of the inner panel at the opposite ends of said inner panel opening constitute said slight protuberances, the opening in the outer one of said bottom panels being smaller than the first opening, whereby only a portion of the base member is exposed thereby for pressure by the finger to release it.
 3. The carton as set forth in claim 2 in which the material of said sleeve is suffiently flexible for enabling the protuberance-carrying End portions of the double bottom wall of the sleeve member to be depressed slightly to assist in freeing the base member when the latter is pressed upwardly. 